Canceled-Order Bride (Sons Of A Gun Book 1)

by Brenda Sinclair

  “What dang letters?” Adam interrupted.

  “These ones,” the sheriff replied, waving the papers in his hand while nodding at Jackson. “Don’t blame your brother. He wanted to get these to me as soon as possible so we can solve this and get your father back home where he belongs.”

  The newly arrived trio of McLennon brothers appeared somewhat placated by the lawman’s explanation.

  “Where were you going, Pa?” Adam frowned. “And why are you here?”

  Carl Robertson looked up from his reading. “Turns out I intercepted his escape.”

  “I wasn’t escapin’,” AJ argued. “I was figurin’ on…”

  “Paying the person who wrote that letter?” Jackson accused.

  “Not if I have anything to say about it,” the sheriff continued. “I sent telegraphs to my contacts in Texas. Fellow lawmen who hopefully can check this out and shed some light. We need answers and we need to deal with this blackmailer.”

  “Blackmailer?” Adam and Simon blurted in unison.

  Michael’s eyes narrowed. “Pa’s being blackmailed?”

  “Appears so,” Jackson admitted.

  Michael threw up his hands. “This gets more stupid by the minute.”

  “That is the one thing we can agree on,” Daniel said. “Let’s keep our heads and stop making accusations against each other. Jackson and I just learned about this a couple hours ago. We briefly stopped at Amanda’s store to let her and Lily know Pa had left town. We didn’t mention the blackmailing.”

  “You told our sister but not us?” Adam glared at his older brothers.

  “Time didn’t allow,” Daniel continued. “And despite the warning not to involve anyone, we figured on bringing this to Deputy Snow’s attention.”

  “Of course, we discovered the sheriff and Pa here…talking about it,” Jackson added, noticing Daniel had silenced his brothers.

  “I suggest we wait until tomorrow when Sheriff Robertson hears back from his Texas counterparts,” Daniel continued. “Hopefully, we’ll learn some details about the killing this Ben fellow claims occurred back in ’48 and involved our father. Although, you didn’t do anything wrong, right, Pa?”

  “No, he didn’t,” Carl chimed in. “All of you head home. Once I hear something, I’ll ride out to the Double M and fill you in on what I’ve learned.”

  Jackson shook his head. “Daniel and I are staying in town overnight. We’ve already arranged for a couple of rooms at the hotel.”

  “Then we’re staying, too.” Adam stood, feet apart, glaring at Jackson.

  “No, you aren’t. Whenever I’m away from the Double M, someone needs to be in charge. And right now that’s Lawrence. So get your behinds back to the ranch in case Lawrence needs you. All of you,” Jackson ordered. “Daniel and I will handle this. If we need your help, I’ll send a rider to the ranch to fetch you. Until then no news is good news.”

  “Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Sheriff Robertson chimed in. “I’m off to the telegraph office to inquire if Rodney has received any reply. We’ll get to the bottom of this. Of that, I can promise you.”

  “Thanks, Sheriff,” all five McLennon sons offered in unison.

  “Thanks, Carl,” AJ added, shaking the sheriff’s hand. “Let me know the minute that Wilkes kid receives a response.”

  “You did the right thing,” Carl said. “Finally telling me about what happened in Texas. In my opinion, you shouldn’t have been found guilty. And since you didn’t stick around to tell your side of what happened, you really don’t know what the outcome was.”

  AJ nodded. “I guess I don’t, but I wasn’t about to stick around and hang for it either.”

  “Might have been a bad move on your part. Made you appear guilty when you weren’t.” Carl took AJ by the arm and before AJ knew what was happening, the sheriff had him locked in a cell.

  “What in tarnation are you doin’?” AJ bellowed.

  “Making sure you stay put in Milestone while we figure out our next move.” Carl touched the brim of his Stetson. “Goodnight for now, gentlemen. I’ll come back and stay here overnight.”

  Colorful language could be heard coming from AJ’s cell while everyone traipsed out of the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Robertson strode toward the telegraph office where Rodney Wilkes’s living quarters were located in back. Jackson hoped the telegraph operator had good news for the sheriff.

  “You coming?”

  Daniel shook his head. “Dropping by the Copper Nugget for a cold one before I head to the hotel.”

  “All right. See you in the morning.” Jackson mounted Dixon and turned him toward the livery.

  His pa had set something in motion. Either his rescue from the nightmare he’d silently lived with all these years. Or his possible comeuppance for a supposed crime he committed over thirty-seven years ago.

  Only time would tell which scenario proved true

  Chapter 19

  Jackson deposited Dixon at the livery.

  “Give him the best of care.” He left orders with the owner, Billy Turner.

  “Will do, Mr. McLennon,” Billy agreed. “Same as always.”

  “I’ll be around to fetch him in the morning.” Jackson set out for his destination. With his mind a muddle of thoughts concerning his father and the blackmailer’s letter, he walked right past the Milestone Hotel. Silently cursing his inattentiveness, he turned and retraced his steps.

  Murder.

  The word reverberated in his brain. Could his pa be found guilty of something that happened so many years ago? Especially when the sheriff considered even the suggestion of his guilt preposterous. But Sheriff Robertson wouldn’t be the man deciding the defendant’s fate if his pa found himself before a judge. The blackmailer’s threats could have initiated life-altering consequences for his pa. Jackson had never felt so helpless in his life.

  He yanked open the hotel’s door and strode inside, heading for the front desk to fetch the key to his room.

  “Jackson!” called a familiar but frantic-sounding voice.

  Lily? Had she been waiting long? More to the point, what was she doing here?

  Jackson searched the lobby until he spotted her sitting alone in the corner alcove, partially hidden from view by a half wall. A teacup sat on the small table beside the upholstered chair she occupied. He hurried across the floor. “What’s wrong?”

  She leapt to her feet, her beautiful eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Nothing’s wrong with me. How are you? Have they found your father?”

  Jackson waved her back to her seat and then slumped onto the chair opposite hers. “Sheriff Robertson brought Pa back to town. Carl sent telegraphs to Texas lawmen, hoping someone can shed light on what happened there several decades ago. We’re waiting to hear from one of them.”

  “Decades ago? Your father didn’t explain what happened?”

  Jackson shook his head. “Apparently, he told the sheriff everything, but he’s tight-lipped about it with me and my brothers. Someone was killed. I’ve no idea who or why or if Pa was even involved. But if so, how.”

  “Killed? This is so confusing,” Lily whispered. “I don’t know what to think.”

  “Frankly, neither do I. However, there isn’t anything we can do tonight.” He stood and then helped her to her feet. “I’ll walk you back to the store. Get some sleep and we’ll see what the sheriff learned, if anything, in the morning.”

  “All right.”

  “Where’s Amanda? I’m surprised she’s not sitting right alongside you, stewing about this.”

  Lily’s face reddened. “She in the store sewing a dress that’s due for delivery in the morning. She thinks I’m upstairs in the bathtub. I overheard you saying something about the hotel when you were leaving the store earlier. I snuck out the back door to come see you, hoping to learn something new.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you.” Jackson accompanied her outside onto the boardwalk. “We’d better hurry before Amanda discovers you’re missing and starts
wandering the streets looking for you.”

  “I left a note on the kitchen table.” Lily glanced about. “You needn’t walk me home. We’re several blocks from the nearest saloon and it’s only a short way.”

  “Any distance is too far this time of night.” Jackson took her hand and wrapped it around his elbow. “I’m too much of a gentleman to send you off alone.”

  His heart skipped several beats when Lily smiled at him. She had the most amazing smile; her entire face lit up like fireworks at a Fourth of July celebration. Several wavy strands of hair had escaped the loose bun at the nape of her neck, a testament to her busy day. Her simple featherless hat matched the pretty sky-blue dress she wore. Lily always looked wonderful.

  “I should apologize again for what I said back at the store. I know it wasn’t your fault Pa up and left like he did.” Jackson looked into her eyes. “I hope you forgive me for suggesting such a thing.”

  “You’re forgiven. I realized your outburst was due to worry, nothing personal. But tell me, what time do you think Sheriff Robertson will have something to report? I could meet you at the jailhouse tomorrow. Or if you prefer, would you like me to accompany you to the ranch to see AJ?”

  “I’ll drop by the store and talk to you and Amanda if I learn anything.” Jackson shook his head. “Besides, Sheriff Robertson stuffed Pa in a jail cell for the night.”

  Lily gasped and her hand covered her mouth. “He what?”

  Jackson couldn’t tell if she was shocked or worried. “Pa didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late. Naturally, he was fit to be tied three ways from Sunday. But the sheriff did ensure Pa wouldn’t try sneaking out of town again.”

  Lily smiled. “To be a fly on the wall…”

  Jackson laughed. “He’s probably still cussing the sheriff.”

  “Well, I’ll sleep a little better knowing he’s safe and not headed off for parts unknown,” Lily offered.

  “Me, too.” Jackson paused on the store’s back step. “Daniel and I are staying at the hotel but the others returned to the ranch to keep an eye on things.”

  “Your brothers showed up in town, madder than hornets, I suppose.”

  “Mrs. Sheridan shared the news behind Pa’s leaving. The three of them didn’t take too kindly to hearing about Pa’s current circumstances from her instead of someone in the family.”

  “Current circumstances?” Lily met his eyes.

  Jackson gazed into her eyes, knowing he couldn’t lie to her. Not if he hoped to share a life with Lily in the future. He explained about the letters, the supposed murder, and the blackmailer. About the fellow demanding twenty thousand dollars and where to leave the money on June 20th.

  Lily listened intently, worry lines creasing her face. “My goodness! I never would have imagined this.”

  “Don’t worry. Sheriff Robertson will get it sorted out.” Jackson touched his hat brim. “I’ll be saying goodnight here. No need to come in and set Amanda off on another round of questions that I don’t have answers for.”

  “I’ll let her know that the sheriff is working on this, and that your pa is safe in town for the night.” Lily smiled at him. “If she assumes he’s staying at the hotel with you and Daniel, then I won’t enlighten her otherwise.”

  “Better in a cell than off Lord knows where. Don’t forget to lock this door.” Jackson wanted to kiss her goodnight in the worst way, but thought better of it while silently cursing his gentlemanly standards. Instead, he stepped down the back walk and then turned around. “How be I fetch you two ladies to join me for breakfast at the hotel at seven o’clock?”

  “That would be wonderful.” Lily beamed. “Thank you for inviting us. Poor Amanda has been doing all the cooking, and she’ll especially appreciate the kind gesture.”

  Jackson touched the brim on his Stetson. “See you then. Sleep tight.” He strode back to the hotel, more light-hearted than he’d been in weeks. He doubted he’d sleep much from worrying about his Pa, but he couldn’t wait for morning and sharing breakfast with Lily.

  Chapter 20

  In the early hours next morning, Sheriff Robertson stuffed the last of the supplies into his saddlebag. “You’d better shake a leg if you want to leave before one of your sons arrives.”

  “I’m coming, Carl. I’m coming.” AJ stretched and rubbed his back before climbing into the saddle. “Thanks for keeping my horse at the livery overnight. But that dang metal contraption in there disguised as a bed ain’t the most comfortable thing to sleep on. Even for only a few hours.”

  “I know.” His friend grinned at him. “Catch a bit of shuteye myself on occasion in those cots. Can’t be making life too comfortable for the prisoners, or I’d have fellers lining up at the door.”

  AJ laughed. “I doubt that. Ever try Widow Barlow’s cooking? A soul would be a mite challenged to distinguish between her biscuits and a dang rock. Taste about the same, too.”

  “Don’t be mean-mouthing Margaret’s cooking. Or what she considers edible grub.” Carl winked at him. “She does her best and no one else wants the job of feeding my prisoners.”

  “Forget the cots. Anyone who sampled the food would reconsider a life of crime.” AJ turned his horse and followed the sheriff toward the outskirts of town.

  “Too early in the morning for your complaining. We need to get to Butte as soon as possible,” the sheriff reminded his overnight guest.

  The letter instructed AJ to leave the money in a bag outside the Butte Daily Miner newspaper office on June 20th. Today was June 18th. He and AJ and the local lawmen in Butte needed to set a plan in motion to catch this blackmailer, and they only had one more day to do it. Hopefully, two days from now, the fellow would be behind bars and then Carl and AJ could get on with life.

  Carl hadn’t shared with AJ one single word of the reply he’d received early this morning. He requested further information be sent Attention Sheriff Robertson, Milestone by telegraph to Butte. He hoped good news would be waiting for him and AJ when they arrived. Or was that wishful thinking? He and AJ had been friends for years. Learning that AJ had been keeping this from him the entire time felt like a betrayal. But Carl could understand AJ not wanting to trust anyone. Not knowing who to trust, if anybody. Being a lawman all these years, he just hoped, with a bit of help from his colleagues in Texas, he could settle this mess that had been hanging over his friend’s head and be done with it once and for all. And not with AJ spending years in a jail cell. Or worse, swinging from a rope.

  “Not an option, Robertson,” he muttered aloud.

  “You say something?” AJ turned in the saddle.

  “Just talking to myself.”

  “Might as well. You ain’t said a word to me,” AJ complained, riding abreast of him.

  They rode hard, hoping to put a good number of miles between them and Milestone before daylight when someone would surely realize they’d left town.

  “Are you over your cranky?” Carl shouted as he slowed his horse to a walk.

  AJ reined in his gelding. “I weren’t cranky. Just bemoanin’ my sore back. No man my age should be spending the night in a jail cell.”

  “Them that stays on the right side of the law don’t.”

  “I’ll remember that. As will my back,” AJ responded.

  “Good. So, except for your aches and pains, you’re good to go?”

  “I’m a mite worried we won’t trick this blackmailer. If he gets away with my money, we may never know for certain who it was.”

  Carl straightened in the saddle. “We’ll catch the bastard. I can guarantee it. And we’re not putting real money in the bag. Just a few bills on top in case he looks inside before we nab him.”

  “Hope you’re right. Did you hear anything from Texas yet?”

  Carl shook his head and muttered, “Nothing worth mentioning.”

  AJ glanced at him. “Can’t hear you. Dang wind is whistling through my ears.”

  He further slowed the pace; their horses needed a rest anyway. “I
sent word to forward all replies to me in Butte.”

  AJ nodded, halting his horse as well. “You’re a good lawman, Carl. You think of everything.”

  “Including sneaking a prisoner out of town before the crack of dawn?”

  Carl Robertson’s heart nearly stopped when he heard the unexpected voice. Was he losing his touch? He hadn’t heard a sound, and the rider who snuck up on them could have been someone a lot less friendly.

  AJ twisted around in the saddle and glared at the interloper. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?”

  “My question, too,” Carl added. Dang it anyway. Bad enough he had AJ with him, now he had another civilian to keep out of trouble. And this one was equally stubborn as the other.

  “Figured the same as you two. Heading to Butte to confront this blackmailer.” Jackson rode Dixon alongside the other two men, reining in the gelding who no doubt had been ridden hard and seemed eager to keep going. “Soon as I found the jail cell empty shortly after four o’clock in the morning, I knew what the both of you were up to.”

  AJ harrumphed, “What were you doing at the jail that early in the dang morning?”

  “Couldn’t sleep. Thought maybe you couldn’t either. Figured on brewing a pot of coffee and keeping you company.” Jackson grinned. “Imagine my surprise when neither of you were there.”

  Carl grimaced. He and AJ left Milestone around three-thirty. Jackson had missed them by minutes. For a moment, Carl contemplated slapping handcuffs on both of them and leaving them at the next ranch or homestead he encountered. He’d gladly come back for the pair of them, when the situation was resolved. “Thought we’d get an early start,” he said, defending himself. These dang McLennons were too wise for their own good. He hadn’t been outsmarted by another man in years. Didn’t much like it now either. Especially by a young pup thirty years his junior.

  AJ shook his head. “You’re here now. Guess you can ride along. Surprised Daniel’s not with you.”